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Suddenly Human
'' |image= |series= |production=40274-176 |producer(s)= |story=Ralph Phillips |script=John Whelpley Jeri Taylor |director=Gabrielle Beaumont |imdbref=tt0708779 |guests=Sherman Howard as Endar, Chad Allen as Jono/Jeremiah Rossa, Barbara Townsend as Adm. Connaught Rossa |previous_production=The Best of Both Worlds Part 2 |next_production=Brothers |episode=TNG D04 |airdate=15 October 1990 |previous_release=Brothers |next_release=Remember Me |story_date(s)=Stardate 44143.7 |previous_story=Brothers |next_story=Remember Me }} =Summary= The Enterprise responds to a distress call from a Talarian vessel. They rescue five teenaged members, four of whom are Talarian, and one human, Jono. Jono keeps to himself, but shows strict obedience to Captain Picard, which together with some unexplained past injuries leads Doctor Crusher to suggest Jono may have been physically abused. It is determined that Jono is Jeremiah Rossa, a long-lost Federation citizen. His grandmother is a Starfleet admiral, and he was orphaned ten years ago when his parents were killed in a skirmish with the Talarians. When the Captain introduces the topic of Jono's human family, Jono gets angry. After persistent effort by Picard, Jono's memories of the attack begin to return and a friendship develops between Jono and Wesley Crusher. A Talarian ship arrives, and its Captain, Endar, asks for a status on his son, Jono. Ten years ago, Endar claimed Jono after Jono's parents were killed. Endar explains Jono's injuries as the products of a boy trying to impress his father by participating in high-risk activities; Picard seems satisfied and observes that Endar seems to care for Jono. Picard allows Endar to see Jono, but when Jono says he wants to stay with Endar, Picard suspects the boy is afraid to say he wants to stay in the Federation. Endar insists that Jono will come back with him, even if the result is war between the Talarians and the Federation. Returning to his vessel, Endar calls for reinforcements, as Picard decides to try to convince Jono to stay. After Jono receives a message from his grandmother, Picard takes the boy to play a form of racquetball, where Jono breaks down and cries. The crew believes they are making progress with the boy, but that night, Jono stabs the Captain. The dagger is deflected by Picard's sternum, and the wound is minor. The problem of where Jono should live is now compounded as Jono has committed a Federation crime. When Picard learns that Jono feels he cannot betray Endar by befriending Picard, the Captain realizes he has been trying to impose his wishes on the boy. Just as Endar's patience is about to run out, Picard contacts the Talarians and lets them know he will let Jono go back. Jono bids Picard farewell with a Talarian ritual that is normally reserved for family members. =Errors and Explanations= Internet Movie Database Character error # Data clearly checks his cards when playing the card game. As an android, he would not need to check what cards he has - they would be committed to memory. He could, of course, be 'mimicking' human behaviour. Nit Central # Derf on Thursday, January 04, 2001 - 9:26 am: It's interesting to find out that the Federation has become the equivalent of the USA military in the 20th/21st century. This episode has revealed that they have recently been at war with the Talarians. The Federation has become the "Universe's Police" much like the USA is viewed as the "World's Police" by some politicians. LUIGI NOVI on Tuesday, July 24, 2001 - 12:11 am: The U.S. isn't referred to as the "World's Police" because it's "been involved in wars". It's been referred to as such because of the perception (accurate or not) that it has invaded sovereign countries for interests other than humanitarian, and because of all the covert wars it's participated in. Whether the Federation is the "Alpha Quadrant's Police" ("Universe" seems a bit out of scale) wouldn't depend merely on whether it's gone to war, it would depend on whether or not the wars it fought with others were justified, and the motives for those wars. If it went to war because it was defending itself against an aggressor, or defending an ally, there's nothing "Police" about it. Of the five wars we know Earth/the Federation has fought, the only one whose details we have knowledge of was the Federation-Dominion War. We have no knowledge of the political or military motives behind the Federation's involvement in the Earth/Romulan War (Balance of Terror (TOS)), the Federation/Talarian War, the Fedeation/Cardassian War (The Wounded) or the Federation/Tzenkethi War (The Adversary (DS9)). # Derf on Thursday, January 04, 2001 - 9:32 am: Also, if Jono had succeeded in stabbing Picard in the heart, would it have killed him? Or could Picard's bionic heart withstand the blade? (The knife blade glanced off his sternum, so says Crusher) The blade could have disrupted the circuitry that allows the heart to operate. # Keith Alan Morgan (Kmorgan) on Monday, July 23, 2001 - 3:16 am: The Enterprise enters Talarian territory to rescue the boys, but later Worf reports on 2 Talarian warships on the other side of the border. Enterprise may have pulled back past the border between the two events. # John A. Lang on Friday, September 06, 2002 - 9:04 pm: INSULTING MOMENT: In the transmission, the old woman describes herself as "your father's mother". Why did she say that? Why not say "Grandma", or "Grandmother", lady? Why did she seem to think that Jono wouldn't know the meaning of the word? Certainly they have grandparents on Jono's adopted world....so I found her terminology insulting. No wonder he didn't want to go to her. Electron on Friday, September 06, 2002 - 11:23 pm: Maybe "father's mother" is indeed the proper traditional term for "grandma" on the planet and the admiral knows this? LUIGI NOVI on Friday, September 06, 2002 - 11:23 pm: I assumed she just wanted to specify their exact connection. It's not the most common terminology, but it's used sometimes. Seniram Maybe the admiral wanted to clarify which of Jono's biological parents she was related to, as the terms Grandmother and Grandma can apply to the mother of either parent. In addition, she is aware that Jono has been raised as part of a patriarcal (male dominated) society, and knows he may be more willing to listen to what she has to say by making him aware of her direct connection to his biological father. # John A. Lang on Sunday, October 13, 2002 - 8:38 pm: I can't help but wonder what Admiral Rossa said after hearing from Picard that Jono was allowed to leave with the Tellarians. Kerriem (Kerriem) on Monday, October 14, 2002 - 6:20 pm: I've wondered the same thing myself. There may not be much she could do in terms of reclaiming her grandson but I bet Picard suddenly and mysteriously got turned down for a LOT of promotions right about then...:) Seniram Not necessarily – Rossa is sensible enough to accept Picard's reasons. # John A. Lang on Thursday, January 02, 2003 - 2:59 pm:''Before Picard has Jono beamed back to his father's ship, there were THREE Talarian ships on the screen. However, after they beamed Jono back, there was only ONE Talarian ship.'The other two may have pulled back.' # ''Pentalarc on Friday, February 13, 2004 - 6:50 pm: I just caught the end of the episode, so I'm not completely sure how the gloves and lack of touching alien species. However, after Jono takes his gloves off to touch Picard, he doesn't put them back on before he beams out. Aren't the Talarians going ot be upset about the fact that he has his gloves off after being on a non-alien ship? Won't they suspect something? LUIGI NOVI on Friday, February 13, 2004 - 8:31 pm: Jono did not indicate that his feelings about touching aliens was a law, or even a strongly stigmatized taboo. Only that that was how he felt.Seniram Jono probably explained that the fact he wasn't wearing his gloves when returning from the Enterprise indicated that Picard had earned his respect. =Sources= Category:Episodes Category:The Next Generation